From Musa Muhammad Kutama, Calabar
The Cross River State Government has intensified its crackdown on quackery and unsafe medical practices with the closure of an illegal maternity facility in Calabar Municipality following the reported death of a patient after surgery.
The facility, Safe Hand’s Maternity Clinic, was sealed by the Cross River State Task Force on Health Quality and Anti-Quackery after investigations uncovered multiple violations of healthcare regulations, including the conduct of surgical procedures in a substandard environment and operating without the necessary approvals.
Acting on a petition linking the clinic to the death of a patient who reportedly underwent surgery at the facility, the enforcement team, led by Dr. Dan Abubakar, carried out an unscheduled inspection of the clinic located at No. 21 Iyata Street, Calabar.
The inspection revealed what officials described as alarming breaches of professional and operational standards.
The clinic, owned by Mrs. Inyang Ekeng, a Community Health Extension Officer, was found to be operating from a converted three-bedroom apartment that had been transformed into a six-bed maternity ward without any licensed nurses on its staff.
Further investigations showed that surgical procedures were being carried out by Dr. Sunday Abeng, a registrar at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), in what the task force described as a poorly equipped and unsuitable environment for medical operations.
The team also discovered that the facility was operating beyond its approved scope of practice and had admitted an abandoned stroke patient despite lacking the capacity, personnel, and infrastructure required to manage such cases.
Other violations identified during the inspection included the absence of operational licences, inadequate consulting rooms, poor ventilation, lack of staff records and patient registers, absence of theatre records, unhygienic conditions, poor waste management systems, and the engagement of unqualified personnel.
Speaking after the inspection, Dr. Abubakar expressed deep concern over the conditions found at the facility, describing it as a serious threat to public health and safety.
“What we found here is completely unacceptable. Facilities operating under these conditions are potential death traps and have no place in a healthcare system that prioritises patient safety and quality service delivery,” he said.
He reaffirmed the commitment of Governor Bassey Otu’s administration to eliminating quackery and ensuring that residents have access to safe, professional, and regulated healthcare services.
According to him, the state government is investing heavily in the health sector through the renovation and construction of modern healthcare facilities across the state, urging residents to seek medical care only from accredited health centres.
“The Governor is currently renovating and constructing modern, well-equipped health facilities across Cross River State.
“We urge residents to seek medical care in approved facilities rather than risk their lives in the hands of unqualified operators,” Dr. Abubakar stated.
He further warned that patronising unaccredited clinics could have devastating consequences due to the dangerous and unsanitary conditions under which many of them operate.
Following the enforcement action, the clinic was sealed, while the owner and attending doctor were granted time to evacuate all admitted patients.
The latest operation underscores the Cross River State Government’s determination to strengthen healthcare regulation, enforce professional standards, and protect residents from unsafe medical practices.
Authorities reiterated that any health facility found operating illegally or below acceptable standards would face appropriate sanctions as part of the state’s ongoing anti-quackery campaign.